The Last Jedi - Fan-Edit
by Toa andrew
Summary: The Republic is at War, and only an old hope can save it. A reimagining of the Last Jedi, with justice done to characters like Luke Skywalker and Rey, deeper roles for Captain Phasma, Snoke and Poe Dameron, as well as the removal of unneeded side plots, the expansion of others and the return of fan-favourite EU characters. "This will begin to set things right."
1. Chapter 1 - An Old Hope

**_The Republic is at war._**

 ** _In a grieve-stricken galaxy, the First Order descends on the Outer Rim. Striking in full force, the descendants of the Empire deal blow after decisive blow against the demilitarised Republic, in an effort to make ground after the loss of Star Killer Base._**

 ** _Outraged by the show of force, the Republic mobilises its forces, spearheaded by Admiral Ackbar, and General Leia's elite strike force of Resistance fighters. As the war comes to a head, it is more than Stormtroopers and the fallen Kylo Ren that threaten the Republic, for traitors and turncoats lurk from within the senate itself, and old enemies wait to rise from the shadow of the Empire to enact their vengeance. Only the emergence of an old hope, and a new generation of Jedi knights could turn the tide…_**

 **Chapter 1 - An Old Hope**

She could see it, the island. It had been a mere glimpse in her mind before, one she did not fully understand. Now, it was real. Hills stood proud above the vast ocean that surrounded them, with each island blanketed in trees and cool green fields. Rey could not help but marvel at the array of colours. As the Falcon touched down and wildlife scattered from the roar of its engines, she could not break her gaze. Blue and green were still new to her. Too long she had stared at endless planes of sand with no hope or future in sight, only a mirage of the past returning to her. A past that lied to her.

Stepping out onto the ship's ramp, she caught the scent of salt water as it crashed and frothed against the land. The ground was soft below her boots, yet it did not feel as giving as the snows of Star killer base, or the hot sands of her home world. This was a new place to her and it took a moment to remember her true goal. The galaxy was depending on her and to be distracted now would be foolish.

Stone steps lay before her, carved into the rock face of the island, enticing her on. She travelled alone, using her staff to aid her up the steep climb. She could not hear Chewbacca following behind. Whether he was there or not, she did not know, for it was not just the screeching of the island's inhabitants and the dampness in the air that preyed on her senses, but something stronger. She could feel it, growing heavier by the minute but she did not have the knowledge to know what it could be. She grew uneasy.

When at last she reached the island's summit, she took a deep breath and swallowed hard. She was no longer alone on that unfamiliar island. Facing away from her, concealed by a brown cloak, meditating, was a single solitary figure. They looked out to sea for a purpose Rey could not comprehend. All she knew in her heart was that this was the man she was searching for. As if he had sensed her, the man turned slowly, until Rey could catch the smallest glimpse of the person under the hood. There were no words that she could utter. Instead, she revealed an artifact from her satchel and reached out her hand.

The man pulled down his hood. She watched on as the metallic fingers of his right hand, and the natural ones of his left worked in unison to reveal his face. She was caught off guard at first. She had heard tales of his infamous duel with Darth Vader, but she didn't fully believe them until that moment. Her focus broke from his false hand and locked into a mutual gaze. He appeared to be nothing more than a hermit with an unkept beard, a strange man living a lonely life on a natural paradise, but the more she looked into the blue of his eyes, the more they revealed the truth.

Any questions he had were gone once he looked upon the lightsaber in her outstretched grasp. He showed a look of broken hope, or was it something else? Disappointment? Fear of the inevitable? Rey could not tell. It was stern and judging, turning away from the lightsaber and onto her. She did all she could to stop her hand from shaking. She pleaded inside for him to do something, to say anything. This man was not what she had imagined. This could not have been the Jedi Master of old. Surely, she thought, this was not Luke Skywalker?

At last, to her relief, he reached out and took the weapon from her hand and let it rest in both of his palms. His eyes were full of conflict, filled with a past Rey was not privy to. It was as if the weapon was painful for him to hold. He sighed, accepting whatever he felt within him, and gave her a questioning glare.

"Who are you?" He asked with no inflection, as if he already knew the answer.

She bit her lip nervously and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Rey."

It was a name that meant nothing to him, for she was nothing.

"That isn't the question I asked."

She wanted to tell him everything, about the Republic, about the First Order, but she could not find the courage to do so. The way he looked at her was unnerving. It was like he had seen her before.

He let his left arm fall, leaving only his metal hand to grasp the weapon of his father.

"Years have come and gone. What this weapon once meant… it has all changed."

He let go, letting the blade fall away, as it had long ago on Bespin.

"What you came for, _you_ won't find it here."

The man passed her, leaving Rey in a state of apprehension. She hadn't expected this. She had to tell this man what was really going on. The galaxy depended on him and she couldn't let it fall because she was too weak to do her part.

"Wait!"

She called out, but the man was already a fair distance downhill. When her eyes fell to the blade that rested on the soft grass beside her, she realised how little she had understood his words. Who was she? Well, she was Rey of course, a nobody from Jakku. How could she have misunderstood his question? She retrieved the weapon and headed on after him.

"Wait! The Resistance needs you!"

He did not hesitate for a second. She spoke to him of the First Order, of Kylo Ren and the state of the galaxy, but it was a one way message. Either she wasn't breaking through to this man, or he was completely ignoring her. Neither boded well for her. Rey chose to silence herself and watch him instead. She learnt how this master Jedi of old had survived alone on a beautiful but remote world. He caught fish with a lethal and unnatural precision, using long spears he had fashioned from what he could find. Even the wildlife supplied him with a source of milk, uncaring of his presence.

He headed to a small hut made of a dull grey stone. It didn't fit with the rest of the surroundings and was easy to spot against the greenery. Rey felt strangely at home.

"Have you thought on my question?"

At last the silence had been broken between them, but it only served to leave Rey further in the dark.

"Well?" he asked again.

Now it was her turn to give no answers.

"I thought so."

He offered her a bottle filled with blue milk. She had survived on scraps for much of her life, so the unappealing bottle of fluid didn't faze her. She had the horrid feeling that she was going to be there a while anyway. She took it and looked to the ground.

"Thanks."

He nodded out of politeness, and little more.

The ocean spray once again filled the soundless void between them, and as the man prepared to return his possessions to his hut, he fell upon a familiar sight. For a split second, the sound of blaster fire came to mind, and the cheers of friends he had made long ago. There it was. The Millennium Falcon in all its rusted glory.

"If ever there was someone to find me in the most remote of places, it would be him."

He paid no more heed to the stranger behind him and headed towards the ship. The energy with which he carried himself was impressive for a man of his apparent age. Each stride was like that of a young man, full of confidence and yet with respect for the ground underneath him, as if he were being mindful of the grass itself.

He had not expected to see that historic ship again in his lifetime. Her great bulk bore over him, and he was just as small in its shadow as he had been decades ago on Tatooine. The familiar tink noise of the engines cooling brought a smile to his wrinkled face.

"Still a piece of junk, aren't you?" he said as he raised an eyebrow.

He heard the sound of footsteps in the long grass, but they were heavier than those of the girl who had approached him seemingly out of nowhere. He was met with another familiar sight, and a quiet roar.

"Chewie?"

It was a simple greeting considering they had not seen each other for years, but it was an unexpected one after all. His eyes darted between the Wookie, and the strange girl who had arrived on his island. Something was wrong.

"Where's Han?" He asked with an interrogative voice.

The Wookie was melancholy. Luke needed no more than that, and before Chewbacca could make a single noise, he felt the Jedi Master's arms around him. Chewbacca felt the comfort of his old friend, and a sense of contentment knowing that someone understood. For Rey, it was eye opening. The gruff exterior of the smuggler she had met failed to represent the man inside. Kylo Ren had been right. He had been like a father figure to her in the brief time she knew him. She had felt idiotic for attaching such a title to someone she barely knew, but even the small amount of faith he had put in her had been more than she had ever known. The sight of two friends grieving over his loss proved to her that he had been more than a scoundrel.

"I'm sorry Chewie." Luke's apology was more than words of condolence.

He lent against the side of the ship, silencing asking for permission to enter. Chewbacca let out a weak growl, causing Luke to smile. There was the smell of oil, and layers of dust on the metal panels around him. It was all as he had remembered it. Luke stood alone inside the cockpit, and for a fleeting moment, he was a young man again. The first words he had said upon the sight of the thing came to mind. For the untrained eye, the freighter was a heap of junk, but the story it could tell made it a legend.

"Hello, ol' girl." He whispered, with no one to hear.

Both front seats were empty, void of their owner, for he would never hear the roar of the ships engines or the thrill of outracing an enemy ship again. It was hard to believe for Luke. Han was a survivor, he always had been. What tragedy could have befallen him, he hated to think. He should have known, he should have sensed it, but no one could be allowed to feel his presence in the Force. Not least, his new enemy.

Luke found himself sitting beside Chewbacca's Dejarik board, his head bowed. He had trained in those halls on the advice of his first master. A simple man he had appeared to be, Old Ben. From him, Luke had learned the truth of the force. Obi-Wan was the history of an ancient order, concealed under dusty robes. Luke felt his beard, unshaven and unkept. The irony pierced his soul.

He was soon joined by Chewbacca.

"I should have been there… I… how did it happen?" The old Jedi asked.

Such anger was present in the Wookie's eyes, such betrayal.

"It was Kylo Ren," Luke heard Rey's voice. She stood beside Chewbacca, her voice stern. "Han Solo tried to help him, but the monster murdered him."

Luke looked heartbroken.

"This is my fault. If I hadn't… I've been too weak."

He couldn't look either of them in the eye. He marched passed them with broken conviction, trying to get away from them in his grief.

"If we don't do something, the First Order will take it all!" Rey called out to him.

He hesitated.

"That voice. It's so… Who are you?" He asked again, with the same tone.

She took a deep breath and spoke with confidence.

"Something inside me has always been there, but now it's awake. I need to know my place in all this."

There was acceptance in his eyes, and just the hint of a proud smile. Its meaning was oblivious to her.

"Follow me."


	2. Chapter 2 - Balance

The climb was far steeper than Rey had anticipated. The cracked stairs were ancient, and traced along the peak of the island. The master that led her on did not slow in his stride no matter how high they reached. Rey was not so lucky. She stopped at intervals to catch her breath, and to look across the vast ocean. The aroma of salt filled her lungs, constantly reminding her of the crashing waves bombarding the island. Never before had she seen so much water. She marvelled at its cool blue.

She wasn't the only one looking to the horizon. Chewbacca let out a low growl beside her. She patted his arm softly, glad that she wasn't alone, even if she hadn't known the Wookie long. He barely acknowledged her and instead stared onward, his brow tightening. A sense of danger came over Rey and she pulled back. She couldn't understand what had happened. It was a flash and fast as lightning, but now her heart was pounding in her chest. When she composed herself, she caught the Jedi master looking down at her.

"You've told me your name, but you haven't said where you are from."

She felt embarrassed and consumed by this power that was awakening in her, wishing she could control it.

"I'm from nowhere." She answered in a whisper.

Luke let out a sharp breath, as if what she had said reminded him of something. He turned his head towards the mouth of a cave on the peak's summit. She followed him, the rush of adrenaline giving her the energy she needed to go on.

"No one is from nowhere." He answered before entering the dark chamber.

She was about to follow him when she hesitated. She rested her hand against the cold rock and looked back. Chewbacca had not moved. She wanted to go back to him, but doubted she could do any good. Instead, she followed the robed man into the dark.

The air inside was nothing like the rest of the island. The cool breeze held no sway, and the dampness had all but dried up. Rey gazed in astonishment. It was no mere cave after all. Ancient pillars stretched to the ceiling, seemingly holding the mountain peak in place. Stone carvings had long faded to nothing.

"The first Jedi temple," Luke had lowered his hood, and stood over an alter covered in manuscripts. "This is the birth place of the old order. Not even the Empire could find it out here, though they tried."

Wordless voices droned in Rey's mind. She could sense eyes watching from the shadows, but none could be seen, say for the crumbled statues that flanked her. What she had felt when she first arrived was closing in.

"You sense it, don't you?"

Luke's words snapped her out of her stupor. The master look up to the highest peak of the temple.

"It's alright. The Jedi chose this place because of its strong connection to the Force. Although it heightened their training, it also concealed them from the Sith," Luke ran his hands over the manuscripts. Thousands of years had left their words withered and barely legible. "Lessons long forgotten remain here. Methods, teachings, all of it."

"That's why you're here… isn't it?" Rey asked him.

He stood atop the alter steps, his face filled with hope.

"Where did you get that lightsaber?"

Rey stuttered, not expecting him to say that.

"In Maz Kanata's vault…it called to me." Rey took the weapon out of her satchel and admired every feature of it. What she had heard when she first touched it meant nothing to her.

Luke gave her a puzzled look and approached.

"I haven't heard that name for a long time. Last time I saw her, she wasn't too pleased with Han. Still… why did she have this?"

Rey held the saber out to Luke once again, but he did not take it. With his robotic hand, he gently pushed it towards her.

"It didn't call to me."

"But… It's yours. It belongs to you." She said, confused by his reaction.

"I told you. What it once was doesn't exist anymore. It never belonged to me. It was my father's, and he no longer needs it."

Rey gripped the weapon firmly in one hand. It felt natural.

"It needs a new owner."

As she gazed down at the hilt of her new blade, the falling snows of star killer base were around her again. The red hue of Kylo Ren's blade reflected off the blanketed floor. He lay at her feet, helpless and scarred. She had beaten him through her anger; the man who had killed the only person who had ever put trust in her. His own father. Her blood boiled with rage.

She took a deep breath and snapped out of her vision. Luke still watched her, and from the mouth of the cave, she could hear Chewbacca approaching. She quickly put the blade away and had no desire to touch it again.

"I can't… I mean, I don't know what this is that is in me. I… I should see how Chewbacca is."

The Wookie sat in the corner of the temple, contemplating something.

"It's best to leave him be sometimes. When he's hurt, he can lash out. You don't want to see an angry Wookie when he does that." Luke advised her.

"I learnt how to speak Wookie on Jakku. There were a few where I lived. They're weren't… treated well."

Luke sighed. "Not all Wookie's saw freedom after the Empire fell."

Rey noticed an archway leading from the temple. Luke stood by it and looked back.

"Alright, Rey from Jakku. Come with me."

Rey glanced over to Chewbacca, who let out a soft growl for her to follow. She smiled and headed off with the Jedi master. The coldness of the strong wind gripped her. The pathway led out to an overlook of the island. The ocean stretched on beyond the horizon, and the wildlife below knew nothing of their presence. A stone table was the only thing of note and Rey wondered why he had led her out there.

"What do you know of the Force?" he asked.

She knew so little. Only stories on Jakku, and the little Han had told her.

"It's a power that lets you lift rocks and read others minds." She said the only thing she could.

He let out a laugh.

"Oh, Rey…"

He led her to the stone table and encouraged her to sit down. He knelt on the opposite side.

"…it's so much more."

She felt so naïve. What did she know of this world? The words of Maz Kanata remained with her. Her life had been wasted on Jakku, waiting for a family that would never come. Any meaning she had was in front of her, but all she could see was darkness. She fumbled through, trying to make sense of it. The Republic, the First Order, the Jedi. Where was her place in this chaos?

"I… what is all of this? I was told you were a hero, a great Jedi that destroyed the Empire and defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor. I didn't even believe it…"

Luke placed a hand on his chin.

"My name has been on the lips of many telling tales. How much of what they say is true, I can never know. What I do know, is that I did what I could to save the people I love. I made many mistakes along the way, and learnt much from it…"

He clenched his metal hand.

"…some mistakes will never be repaired, but that isn't a reason to surrender what's left. The Jedi didn't learn that lesson, and it helped lead to their downfall. It wasn't me that defeated the Emperor. It was my father. It was Anakin Skywalker."

"I don't understand… wasn't he Darth Vader?"

Luke did not answer.

"Close your eyes, and reach out."

She did as she was told and felt him push her hand to the hard stone table.

"Focus on yourself. That power you said was in you. Reach out to it. Not with your hand, but with your feelings."

For a moment, all she could sense was the ocean spray against the island and the bitter wind, but the more she calmed herself, the more she came to see where she truly was.

"Tell me what you see."

It was magnificent. Her sight became clearer. It was like a dizzying dream, fading in and out of view.

"Light…"

"What else?"

"Darkness…life…death…balance."

The master nodded to himself.

"You see? The force is everywhere. It is in all life. It binds the universe together. It isn't a power that belongs to the Jedi or the Sith. That view is arrogance. We gifted few who can sense it must use it to protect that balance. If we don't… we fall to the dark."

"Wait…"

Luke placed his hand on hers once more and felt her trembling.

"What is it? What do you feel?" he asked, concerned.

A lot of terror fell over her.

"It's calling me… I have to…"

"Fight it, Rey. Don't lose control."

She thrashed her head wildly in a panic. The voice she'd heard on Star killer base plagued her. Ben Solo lay at her feet, his corpse as cold as the stained snow.

"I have to do it!"

"Rey!" Luke roared.

Sensing her fading away, he grasped her forehead. He eyes shot open as he pulled her to the light. She took a heavy breath and felt tears running down her face.

"It wanted me… I couldn't…"

Luke took hold of her by her arms.

"This strength. You can't let it take you, Rey."

"I tried… but it was too strong!"

Luke stood up and pondered.

"I've felt this before…."

"I'm sorry… I failed, didn't I?"

She was disappointed. Not just in herself, but for failing this legend.

"I will teach you how to control it. Down on the island, you told me that you defeated Kylo Ren, didn't you?"

She was surprised.

"You _were_ listening to me."

He grinned.

"Of course. But, you didn't tell me how you did it… and that is what worries me."

Rey was overwhelmed with the strength of this power inside her.

"Is the dark stronger?" She asked, fearful.

He looked sympathetic.

"I asked that same question. No, it's not. But it will always tempt you. The path to the Dark Side is far easier, and it takes very few stumbles to reach it, willingly or not. But fear of it is its greatest strength. You must keep confidence in yourself, and have faith in the light."

The first time she had seen this man, he was just a hermit in a robe. She was realising more and more that he was far more than that, and maybe, the stories she had heard were true. She smiled and felt a flicker of trust growing.

…

 ** _Across the galaxy. Region Unknown._**

Emotions ran deep inside the cloaked acolyte as he made his way through the monstrosity of a ship. Stormtroopers marched back and forth on every side. He didn't care for their presence. They were tools of the First Order, nothing more. More pressing matters bit at him. It was the first time he had seen his master face to face since his defeat on Star killer Base, and he knew not what he was about to walk into.

His face, covered by his mask, was untouched by the bright crimson reflection as the heavy chamber doors opened. He expected no introduction and cared not for the meeting he interrupted. His master's guards were as still as they always were. Sometimes he wondered if they ever moved. Their histories were a mystery to him, and as hard as he attempted, he could not penetrate their armour with the force to see into their minds. Whoever they were, they served the Supreme Leader without hesitation, but Kylo saw them as nothing more than pawns. He was the apprentice after all, not them.

His gaze fell upon the stout officer beside him. A look of smugness was not hidden by him, nor was the quick flash of contempt they held for each other. If he were not needed, Kylo would have cut General Hux in half there and then. No, it would be too quick. One of the Praetorian Guard's great halberd's perhaps? Let the red chamber run true red with his blood. The thought brought him a concealed satisfaction.

"At last the great swordsman arrives." Hux was well spoken, and with more than a little sarcasm in him.

"That will be all, General. There is no need to speak to my apprentice." The deep, crackling voice of their ruler spoke out.

"As you wish, Supreme Leader."

With a strong bow, Hux turned to leave their presence, his hands behind his back like the imperial officers of old. The man seemed too smug, Kylo thought, considering he had been in charge of the disaster that was Star killer Base. Hux's words had stung his pride. He knew what had happened with the girl, Kylo was sure of it.

Not wanting to think on the impudent General any longer, Kylo bowed before his master, lowering his hood in respect. His mask however, remained.

"Here you are, my apprentice. The 'mighty' Kylo Ren," Snoke rose from his great throne, his golden tunic flowing over his slender and dishevelled form. "When I found you, I saw what all master's live to see. Raw, untamed power. The potential of your bloodline. Vader forged anew. It seems, perhaps… I was mistaken."

Kylo had expected the Supreme Leader's growing distrust of his competence, but to hear the words, it was almost too much to bear. His unstable soul had often come out in bursts of rage and the flashing of his jagged lightsaber, as it tore through whatever unfortunate thing that happened to be nearby. There was no anger from him in that throne room. This time he struggled to keep his voice stable.

"I've given everything to you, to the dark side. My loyalty… my life."

He had indeed, and the evil acts he had committed felt like a knife permanently in his heart. Ever he attempted to ignore it, move on from it, as his grandfather had with the love he had borne for his wife.

Snoke grit his teeth. The one who knelt before him sounded like a child pleading for a second chance, not the knight of Ren he had foreseen him to be.

"And how have you done this?" Snoke asked his apprentice, forcing him to speak of the terrible deed.

"Han solo… is dead," Kylo answered, weakly at first, but he drew back resolve as he called upon the dark side to fuel him. "When the time came, I didn't hesitate!"

"I cannot be deceived. If what you say is true, then take off that mask and look me in the eye."

Kylo remained still at first. He felt vulnerable without it, but he couldn't appear weak, for his own sake. Slowly, it began to rise as he revealed his scarred face to his master.

"There it is. There is the scar you bear from your failure. That it not a wound from your enemy, no. It is the mark you carry for letting the deed split your spirit to the bone," Snoke's voice steadily rose in volume, like a father scolding a disappointing son. "You left yourself unbalanced, and in that state you were defeated by a girl who had never trained with a lightsaber, you failed!"

Kylo made a terrible mistake. The one act he knew he should not dare, and yet as his master spoke of imbalance, the very state took him over. He rose in an instant, unable to hold back his anger. With a mere flick of his fingers, Snoke unleashed a crackle of lightning which sparked across the floor and tossed his hapless apprentice aside. Blades appeared, brandished by Snoke's loyal guards as if they were programmed for that very moment. Kylo did not pull himself to his feet, and Snoke did not press his attack. Killing his apprentice was not his intent. His guard's weapons were sheathed just as quickly as they had appeared.

"You failure shames the meaning of that helmet." Snoke spoke softly as he turned away.

Kylo's dark helmet rested on its side, a heated scratch burnt into its side. He regretted defying his master. He had learnt the price of failure, and now moved to kneel.

"You are wise, master. I was foolish. I was weak, but I will not fail you again."

"Even the weak can gain power. The strong can lose it. It takes the wise to regain it. To take the past and re-forge yourself into a form that will make the galaxy tremble, this is something the Republic knows nothing of, for they are of the same ignorance as the Jedi. Your old self died for a reason, and so will the Republic, lost in its illusion of 'rebuilding' something that was torn down."

Silence fell over the chamber. Kylo calmed himself and stared into the eyes of his helmet.

"Put it on, and remember what it means. Remember what you hide underneath it, and learn from it."

Kylo rose slowly as his master spoke. He held the mask in his grasp, scarred but strong as ever. The mechanism locked around his head, concealing him.

"I do not enjoy what I must say to you. Only through it will you become even stronger. Be ashamed of your failure no longer. Hate it. Cast it out and rise ever powerful from it. You are Kylo Ren, my apprentice. You will be the Republic's undoing, and at last, they will see and fear what they neglected. Just as they did with your grandfather. When you have completed your training, you will be even greater than him."

The thought burned like a fire in Kylo's heart. He bowed once more and left his master's chamber. With his apprentice out of his sight, the Supreme leader activated the controls beside him.

"Contact the Grand Admiral and assemble your assault group. We move on Ord Mantell at once." He spoke into the microphone.

"Yes, Supreme Leader. What of the Black Sun? They have refused our demands." A woman's voice answered.

"Tell them that night falls, Captain."


	3. Chapter 3 - Foothold

The ground rumbled as if the planet was tearing itself apart. Lights flickered as the syndicate watched on anxiously at the carnage outside the window. The screams of pain the Black Sun had inflicted on the Galaxy had been replaced with their own. The tables had turned.

The sprawling city was sheathed in fire. Soldiers in white marched behind their hail of blaster fire. Walkers cracked open every defence the Black Sun could muster. Civilians had no choice but to flee as the streets were burnt to cinders. Was it freedom, or merely a new master that mustered through their city and burnt their repressed lives? All they could see was death.

The Black Sun drew back to the mighty spires that stretched to the clouds of Ord Mantell. Weapons they had only heard of lumbered like Gorillas towards their last line of defence. At the head of the ground troops was their leader, marching with fire reflecting off of her chrome armour, like the silver head of an arrow among the tip of the horde. Ruthlessly they cut through the cities defences like a scorching knife through butter.

"We should have left as soon as the warning was sounded!"

Ziton Moj glared to his fellow syndicate rulers, disappointed in their resolve.

"You would throw away our assets so easily... The confederacy could not end our reign, neither will these relics. I will not let it slip away so quickly. I have made deals with Sith and devils to rise this high. I will not give it up for these zealots!"

"Our ships are gone, Ziton!" The others did not hold to his same grim nature. "If the civilian transports we've commandeered are found before our caches are loaded, we may as well jump from the window now! How is it they knew our every defence?"

The lights frizzled before going out completely, leaving the syndicate in the dark. They banded together, the meeting table between them and the chamber entrance. The Black Sun's personal guard stood ready armed with vibro-axes as blaster shots grew louder.

"They are in the spire!" One crime lord pointed to the door.

"Quiet." Ziton ordered gruffly.

The council had had enough. One by one they began to funnel through a hidden passageway built into the wall. Ziton remained at the table and released a hidden mechanism underneath, a single blaster pistol fell into his hand.

The inevitable happened. Before the last of the Black Sun could retreat, the doors burst open. An unfortunate guard found himself strewn across the floor after impacting the doors, a blaster shot singed into his chest. Weapons were poised on the fleeing crime lords.

"Not one step further."

Stormtroopers flanked along the edge of the room and between them, standing a head above all of them, was their captain.

"Your rule of this city is at an end. This world and its citizens are now part of the Order. You were given the chance to flee and you refused. Given your line of work, the offer was quite generous." Her voice was monotone, not a single muscle flinched as she spoke like a statue.

The council raised their arms, all except Ziton, who kept his under the table.

"This is a stupid move. The Order has long profited from our dealings. I bet many of those metal monstrosities you have marching towards me were paid for with our credits… not to mention those child slaves you call soldiers."

"We find this profit lacking. You have something more valuable to us than trinkets and 'slaves' now."

Ziton's free hand moved under the desk as slowly as possible.

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"A foothold."

Panels in the ceiling jutted aside. Stormtroopers split up, and Ziton's guard readied their vibro-axes as two blaster cannons dropped down and opened fire. The room fell into chaos as blaster bolts danced back and forth. The walls sparked as shots missed their targets. The council took their chance and continued their escape. Now with a clear shot, Ziton revealed his hidden blaster and took aim at the Captain who dared defy him.

His shot bounced from her gleaming armour, leaving nothing more than a smouldering scratch. The syndicate guards charged forth, bearing their axes. Phasma knelt and opened fire at the turrets above with her modified blaster, tearing holes into them in rapid succession. With her men dead around her, Phasma pulled away in time to see the end of her weapon sheared off by a swirling axe. She span and pulled her combat staff free. Her attacker was tossed aside on impact, giving her time to confront the next. Sparks flew between them as the axe's humming blade collided with her staff. The alien was a brute and continuously swung his heavy weapon in deadly arcs. Phasma moved with utmost discipline; a life of grueling training and countless hours of sparring on display.

She shared each strike between the two of them, ensuring that she could knock one aside in time to deal with the other. They were not used to dealing with such a well-trained foe and quickly grew weary. Battered and clueless on how to best her, they backed off.

"Fools." She muttered under her breath.

Honourable combat was a loser's game. With the timing now clear, she wrestled a blaster from its holster and left a gaping hole in their heads.

"Pitiful brutes."

Now alone, Phasma pursued her quarry through their hidden tunnel.

The leaders of the Black Sun followed the dark chambers lower into the spire. They thought themselves safe. The armoured zealot couldn't surely catch up, but when they reached the lower levels of their haven, they found a figure clad in a black rope and mask between them and freedom.

"I once dealt with a Sith like yourself, surely we can come to an arrangement?" Ziton offered confidently.

A red beam ignited in the acolyte's gloved hand, jagged and uncontrolled.

"I am no Sith." His voice was robotic.

With negotiations failed, Ziton drew a quick shot to the cloaked man. The bolt froze between them, simmering in the stale air. Further shots from Ziton were repelled by the blade, each as useless as the next. Soon the council was screaming as the chamber flashed red. Ziton dived away and was soon the only one remaining. As quick as he could, with his target distracted, Ziton made a scheming grin and put pressure on the trigger.

He was a fraction of a second too late.

The frozen bolt soared through him. Ziton felt its heat as it carved a hole through his back. The hooded figure disengaged his weapon and took slow steps towards the dying warlord.

"I have no more use for you."

The only sound that followed the thud of his falling body was that of footsteps, and a voice.

"I did not expect you to join us." He heard the Captain behind him, but did not turn to face her.

"My wounds are nothing."

He looked down at the corpse at his feet. Though his face were concealed, from behind his mask he stared into the alien's lifeless eyes. He jarred himself away.

"We cannot afford any more mistakes. We have given the Republic enough time to regroup after Starkiller Base. A base, I will add, with a defence you were in charge of. Yet, you were nowhere to be found."

He heard the heavy marching of her armoured feet as she drew closer.

"May I remind you that you were on that base as well? I am not the one carrying scars."

Kylo's hand rested on the hilt of his lightsaber. Phasma was not one to answer him back.

"We have let this Resistance make fools of us enough. From now on, we strike without delays. The Admiral has anticipated the criminals' actions here, he will do the same with the Republic. You claim to be the greatest leader in our army, yet here I find you, chasing these scoundrels in the dark with no men remaining. You can see why I'm beginning to doubt your competence."

He vexed at her pride, but she would not let her resolve be deterred.

"My life is the First Order. I will never allow my resolve, or my competence to be questioned. My training, and the training of my soldiers is perfect. No force the Republic can muster will withstand us."

Kylo sniggered, his mask making it sound like a crackle.

"Your 'perfect' training made the perfect traitor. He was there, on Starkiller Base. I have disposed of your mistake for you."

Kylo began to walk away.

"FN-2187 was just a cog in the system. Broken and replaceable with a superior specimen. He does not represent the rest of my troops, nor will he ever!"

The Captain was starting to amuse him.

"And you claim that you carry no scars. If one can betray us… then what faith is there for any other amongst us?"

With no one watching her, Phasma allowed herself to clench her fist in frustration. That traitor was a terrible mark on her perfect record, a failed soldier, and one once under _her_ tuition. Worse still, he had forced her to do the same.

Starkiller Base. The name enraged her.

"The Order is what matters, not soldiers, not military bases, the Order. I cannot lead us to victory if I am dead…" She spoke in her own mind, desperate to justify her memories.

…

 ** _Ord Mantell Air Space_**

He marched proud with his hands behind his back. The bridge was unfamiliar compared to his own, it's design archaic, imperfect, and yet its commander refused any other.

"The Supreme Leader will be pleased. I must admit, at first, I was suspicious of this arrangement. You have proven yourself most useful to the Order."

The two leaders mirrored each other, their pose similar, but there was an air around the Admiral that made General Hux feel inferior somehow.

"Crime lords are not difficult to predict," He answered the General, his voice soft, yet commanding. "This world's history tells us all we need to know. Its people live under the Black's Sun's eclipse, but now it has passed its zenith and grown cold. To rescue their own symbols of power would always be their primary goal. Surrender or retreat means the loss of everything they have swindled for. It is a curious notion, seeing greed in one put one's own possessions above their own life."

Hux didn't answer. The Admiral's talent was respectable, but Hux struggled to entirely trust him. He wasn't like him in reality.

"With a foothold here, we have access to the core. The Resistance is based on D'Qar. If we amass the fleet here, we will cut the Republic in half and have enough force to hit them head on. Let us see how the Republic stands without Leia's elite Resistance force."

The Admiral gave a cold stare to the excited General.

"Any intention you had of keeping the Republic from war footing is now mute. Starkiller Base served only as a warning to them. You may have more than a Resistance force to contend with now." He informed Hux, his tone flat.

"The senate will never trust the daughter of Darth Vader, they haven't since they discovered her bloodline. Why would that change now? Besides, they will be too long in squabbles on how to deal with the situation."

The Admiral shook his head gently.

"Those very squabbles forced about change; the death of democracy and the reign of the Empire. They have learnt from that mistake, and will not make it again. The senate may be petty, but they will unite against the threat you have presented them plainly. The planet killer you built and lost was a foolish waste of resources, just like the Emperor's past weapons."

Hux was insulted by his arrogance.

"We are not the Empire. We are superior. Formed from its crutches to rise higher."

The admiral's brow lowered.

"You have yet to prove this."

"I don't care for you opinion of the Order. Simply do you duty, Admiral. We all serve the Supreme Leader."

Hux turned to leave the bridge when he was confronted by a great hologram. The flickering image of the Supreme Leader himself looked down at them.

"General Hux. I have heard that our liberation of Ord Mantell was a success."

"I… was just about to inform you of such, Supreme Leader Snoke."

Hux passed a glance to the Admiral who didn't look at all surprised.

"Good, good… I trust that preparations are under way to deal with the Resistance Headquarters?"

Hux's confident manner seemed absent in front of the Admiral.

"Yes, Supreme Leader… I, we intend to strike before the Republic can mobilise the Core. They are already loosing territory in the Outer Rim. If we can split them in half, they will be in disarray."

"I sense that the Senate will give us little time to dawdle. Admiral, you are ready to deal with the remainder of their fleet, I presume?"

The Admiral approached until he was closer to the hologram than Hux.

"I have heard much of the Republic fleet. The Rebellion made impressive use of their arsenal, and I assume nothing less of the new Republic. I am curious to see this Gial Ackbar in motion first hand. The Mon Calamari know much of naval combat."

"You sound like you admire them." Hux muttered.

"Admiration for an enemy prevents underestimation."

"I am pleased, Admiral. Inform Captain Phasma to prepare a ground assault for the invasion."

The hologram faded away.

"Make sure you remember your position, Admiral." Hux warned.

"Grand Admiral, at the Supreme Leader's pleasure, of course."

Hux marched away from his presence. Left alone to command his bridge, the Admiral let his eyes wander to the massive dreadnought outside of the window. It was an impressive engine of war, but, as the Admiral believed, ridiculously sized. He saw the same mistakes the Empire had made manifest again through his reflection in the glass, his red eyes staring back at him.


	4. Chapter 4 - Connection

Her feet pounded into the sand, sweat pouring from her forehead. Rey dared not look back at the seemingly endless footprints left in her wake, not with the Jedi's watchful gaze always on her. Breathing heavily through the cold salty air, she could hear the words of the Jedi Master in her mind.

 _To understand your place within the Force, first you must master it with body, then with spirit._

Whether it was working or not, she didn't know. She had taught herself to do whatever had to be done to survive on the merciless sands of Jakku against the thieves and slave keepers that picked apart the planets populous like rats. Rey was no stranger to running, or if need be, fighting to stay alive, but this world was different. The beach beneath her feet didn't feel like the scorching sands of her home world. It was wet, and it gave way as she took each step. Gone were the sandstorms that made each grain like a hot knife amongst thousands tearing at her flesh. Now it was cold, and utterly replaced by the spray of the sea. She was in the galaxy's small chunk of paradise, yet she still couldn't feel content.

"The Force is not merely a power to harness," Master Luke had told her. "It is always a part of you. Feel it, let it strengthen your muscles and sooth your exhaustion."

Rey had experienced a taste of what it could offer her. It had been there when she duelled Kylo Ren, fuelling her with a strength and focus she had never felt before. She had felt powerful, and for a moment, she had enjoyed what it made her. Only when she saw the fallen form of her foe, wounded and bleeding in the cold snow did she grasp the reality of it. She couldn't tap into it now. She ran on, her eyes closed.

She was afraid.

Sand became rock beneath her feet. She didn't know how far she had travelled, but when she opened her eyes she was confronted with ocean blue. She stretched out her arms to hold her balance as she stopped. She was staring over the cliff side at the jagged rocks below. The imposing view of the ocean, its waves roaring like a fierce Krayt Dragon drew Rey in. So much water was strange to her. To fall would be a death sentence. She'd had no need to learn to swim when surrounded by an ocean of sand.

Rey gained control of her breathing and kept her view forward. It was hard to tell where the horizon ended. The ocean seemed to meld with the clear sky. What was beyond it all, she wondered. Even what was behind her was no longer familiar.

"That is enough for today. The sun will fall soon."

She heard the master's voice somewhere behind her.

"No. I can keep going."

"Into the rocks? Unless, you intend to go back?"

She turned her head slowly to see her footprints in the distance.

"Did you pay attention to your path the first time you travelled it?" Luke asked her.

She had been too focussed. She had seen the beach enough, she thought. Barely a week she had been there, but already the island's layout was becoming familiar. In her heart though, the place still felt alien.

"I can do it. Let me carry on."

She was about to head off when he held her staff out to block her path.

"The goal here isn't to injure yourself. Come with me."

Luke trailed off towards the huts atop the hills. He never waited for her to follow, he merely expected it. There was no point in arguing. She did feel a little relieved to be done for the day, but she knew time was of the essence. The hill side looked over where they had landed the Falcon. She hadn't seen much of Chewbacca in the passing days. Always he was tinkering with the ship, one thing or the other.

"The landing gear. He's been working on it for the last two days." Luke told her.

She was surprised that he knew. She hadn't seen him speak to the Wookie since her training began.

"The landing gear?" She asked.

"It had a tendency to get stuck. At least it did the last time I saw her," Luke's voice was solemn. "Han was always meaning to work on it."

She watched the Wookie hard at work, all alone. Rey's scowl was rich with disgust. Kylo Ren had a lot to answer for.

Leaving him be, Rey looked over the huts that had seemingly sprouted at random on the hillside. There was no discernible pattern to them, no order. She watched the island dwellers for a moment, each clad in white robes that were stained by the grass and dirt at the bottom. Luke had said that they watched over the temple, preserving it. All of them were veiled in silence. Not even the children uttered a word as they emerged from their huts. Luke had very little interaction with them. Rey couldn't judge them for staying, she after all, had waited long for something that never came.

The Jedi had disappeared from view. Rey rushed on to catch him up, the pain in her legs humming from the day's training. He was not to be found in his hut, but instead in the temple itself. He gazed thoughtfully over the ancient texts, his face slowly forming into a frustrated scowl.

"I'd thought my days of being a learner were done," Luke's voice echoed through old halls. He didn't turn to the scavenger, he knew she was there. "I had learned from the best, and from my own failings. I confronted my father and the Emperor. The Galaxy's new hope they called me. He would be the one to end the Sith, they said."

Rey sat against the wall, letting the cold stone cool her down as she listened.

"You did, didn't you?" She asked him. You saved the Rebellion. The Republic wouldn't exist without you. Even on Jakku we knew about you… I didn't believe it."

She saw the tiniest smirk in the corner of his mouth.

"I wouldn't have blamed you. Not many would, but it wasn't me who brought an end to Darth Sidious. Everyone had lost any hope for the victims of the Dark Side. Even the Jedi saw it as an inescapable pit. Once you fall, you drown it in," Rey listened, nervous of what her connection to the Force meant for her. "They were wrong, Rey. Despite everything he had done, I knew my father was still alive."

She didn't understand.

"How did you know?"

"I sensed the conflict in him."

When Kylo Ren had taken off his mask, she had seen into his mind. Was this what Luke meant? She had felt his frustration, and his growing fear that he would never live up to his bloodline. She had tasted his bitterness while they were connected. She had seen no path to his redemption.

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't notice the Jedi had come to kneel in front of her. He held her hand in his own and closed his eyes. When he opened after a moment of focus, he smiled as if he were looking at an old friend.

"Believe it or not, I know how you feel. I used to look out over the horizon, wondering if there was anything out there waiting for me."

"You went looking for it," She said. "I just waited, hoping it would come back…"

Maz's words still hurt her. If any meaning in the galaxy belonged to her, and it really was ahead as Maz had said, then where was she meant to go? What should she do? She had followed the Resistance, she had travelled all the way to a man she thought was a myth, all to find a purpose. In her heart she was lost, trying to piece together what she really wanted.

"You're not alone, Rey. I can sense the light in you. It's strong. I know how much… Han's death hurt you. I was puzzled at first, but now I understand. You haven't known him long, have you?"

She had been shaken by how much it affected her, considering he had only been a story days before.

"You have been alone all of your life. He was the first person to ever place trust in you. Now, I see you pushing yourself beyond the limit whenever I am watching. The greatest lesson a Jedi can learn, is patience."

Rey remembered the countless scratches on the walls of her makeshift home. She would close her eyes at night and still see them. In the morning, there they were again like a mockery.

"Trust me, I'm no stranger to waiting." She told him.

"You had no one counting on you then. I can feel your desire to prove your worth. You want to help those in the Resistance you know, as quick as you can."

How much he could see into her thoughts startled her, even those she tried to hide from herself.

"Every minute we are here, they are suffering. It's not right."

"Leaving my sister… leaving Han, it was the last thing I wanted to do, Rey. I tried to face Snoke. He is like nothing I have ever seen. Not since Darth Sidious have I felt such a shroud, like he is infected with it."

Rey's brow crunched up.

"But we should be helping them now! I came here to find you because the Republic needs you! I am no good to them without training, but what if I can't control myself in time?"

Luke understood all her frustrations too well.

"Rey, trust me. I thought the very same thing once. I left when I was not ready, and paid the heavy price for it."

Rey looked at the Jedi's metal fingers. What had happened made her skin crawl.

Luke was no longer kneeling in front of her. Now he walked slowly over to the Jedi texts.

"If I face him now, I don't believe I will be strong enough. All I can do, is find a way. Here, he cannot find me… only the people I trust were left the map."

Rey thought about the day they had put the map together, the day she had left with Chewbacca to find a man she didn't know. Something clicked for her.

"When I met General Leia, she knew what had happened to Han Solo. She knew it somehow, before we could tell her. Was that the Force?"

Luke's expression was strained. Taking one of the texts under his arm, he left.

"We will continue in the morning."

Rey watched the Jedi until his robes were out of sight.

"Why didn't you know…?" She whispered in the lonely chamber.

…

 ** _Ord Mantell Atmosphere_**

The room was filled with sparks and the flash of red. Kylo's blade danced between sparring droids, leaving little more than a smouldering wreck as each one clanged to the floor.

 _Feel your rage. Harness it. Do not let its fire control you. Balance it._

Snoke's orders raced through his mind. His wisdom fuelled him.

 _Imagine each one is the girl. You let her best you once, but now, you are focused! A Sith's rage will make him impatient. A Jedi's stubbornness will make him weaker. You are neither. You are a Knight of Ren. You are heir to Lord Vader._

Ren's speed quickened, but its precision never worsened as he listened to his master's words.

 _Let Light and Dark work in unison. Fear neither. Fall to neither. Never surrender your grasp on power and focus._

The sparring droids were gone, and in an instant the ceiling was covered in blaster turrets.

 _No legions can be allowed to stop you!_

Blaster bolts flew in every direction. Kylo's blade hummed and cracked in a whirl of light. Shots froze in place before being hurled back where they came from with destructive force. He was almost free of the excessive volley when a single bolt slipped through his defence. Kylo fell to one knee as the searing heat ate away at his shoulder. The last shots froze around him, looking like a cocoon of red light. Leaving himself just enough room amongst the barrage, he rolled away and let go. The floor became a cacophony of energy. The turrets above him rattled before being ripped from their emplacements and sent crashing to the ground. Kylo, stood still.

 _Another scar… remember it. Next time, it will not happen again._

He could no longer hear his master's voice. The day's session was over, and he was left alone feeling estranged.

Behind glass panes high above, a single onlooker stared precariously, her helmet reflecting back at her. She had been concentrating on the performance below enough to let approaching footsteps escape her attention.

"Do you not have duties to perform, Captain?"

Hux was to the point, as always.

"I have informed Supreme Leader Snoke of our preparations. Ord Mantell must be stable before we can move on. The surviving members of the Black Sun have proven… difficult to track down."

"I am sure you will find a creative way to draw the rats out." He said.

Hux turned his gaze to the knight in-training.

"I assumed you had no interest in Force worshipers like him."

"I admit," She answered him. "The discipline in their training is something I admire, but if you require an outside force to wield your weapon, you are weak. I fought to become the greatest warrior on Parnassos, and the Order has made me greater still. The Supreme Leader's wisdom leads us on to glory… what is _he_ without his 'mystical' power?"

The two of them watched Kylo Ren leave the sparring chamber.

"He has no military experience," Hux added. "Yet, he plays commander. He is useful as a mad dog, at least."

"Supreme Leader Snoke has faith in his use, so we must follow his wishes." Phasma corrected the course of their conversation, knowing where it would lead otherwise.

"Yes… it is important to ensure favour with the Supreme Ruler, is it not?"

Phasma could sense the real reason for Hux's presence rearing its ugly head.

"Loyal servitude to the Order and its leader is required by all-"

"I had not informed the Supreme Leader of the events on Ord Mantell," he interrupted. "As General of our forces it is my duty to do so. Yet, he was informed by someone else. You wouldn't know anything about this, I assume?"

Phasma's discipline did not allow her to look him in the eye for such an accusation, not even through her visor.

"I have informed him only of the troop's status. If you have concerns, I am sure the Supreme Leader will be interested to hear them. Unless, this is an interrogation?"

Hux's serious tone changed. Now he supported a smile.

"Not at all."

He marched away until he reached the doorway and stopped.

"This Order will only function if we all know our place. As General, I have the Supreme Leader's ear to our battle plans. I would hate to find out that someone was taking action into their own hands."

He left with his hands behind his back. Phasma knew nothing of what he was referring to, but after Starkiller Base, she couldn't help but lament what else the General could discover.

…

It was these moments, the ones where he was alone in his chamber when the man who called himself Kylo Ren struggled the most. Any number of Republic legions could stand in his way, and he would be content in cutting them down, imbued with the Dark Side. When his training ended and his mask was off, all he had was the past.

He sat on the bed, staring into his mask, holding his side. His new wound did not concern him, not as much as the ever present one caused by an old friend. His grasp of the Force soothed it in battle, but always it gnawed at him in solitude. They could heal it, but the wound caused by a Wookie's bowcaster cuts deep. Anyone else would not have survived.

That Wookie. Flashes of memory when he was just a boy haunted him. He had been a protector, a friend of his father's. Childish games were soon gone, replaced by a duty thrust upon him. To Ben Solo, it was abandonment. A lightsaber in his hand meant servitude to a cause he had not chosen. They didn't care. A general and a smuggler. It could never work. He could see the Republic for the farce that it was, built by charlatans grasping at old days when corrupt politicians ruled. Days long before his own, and he would never have known had the Supreme Leader not bestowed his wisdom.

"Speak to me…" he whispered in the dark chamber.

No voice came from his mask as it had from his grandfather's. The voice of Vader had fallen silent.

"Why do you leave me to deal with this alone? You conquered this pain. You destroyed your master… your family, those that pretended to be your friends. You conquered it all."

Ben could see his father's look of terror every time he closed his eyes. His fist clenched.

"Why can't I!?"

He let go immediately when he heard his mask begin to crack. The slice caused by Snoke had bent further inwards.

"Control…"

Snoke always taught of its importance, but even in Ben's early days of training, his uncle had seen it in him. The Force was like a storm in him, and who can control nature's tempest?

Outside noise had faded away. Anyone outside the door aboard the ship had grown silent. Ben felt himself being trapped, like a bubble was closing around him. He thought the Force was telling him something. Maybe Vader had heard him after all? When he looked up, he could see her.

The girl.

Plain as day, she was sitting across the room on a bed of stone. A vision, perhaps? No, something more. Their eyes locked and together they shared a look of bewilderment.

She was the first to end it. Reaching out for something beside her, she quickly revealed a blaster pistol and fired a single shot. Kylo snapped his eyes shut and breathed out. There was no pain in his chest. The bubble was gone.

"Rey?"

She heard the Master's voice outside her hut. Cracked, heated stone crumbled down from the wall. She could see a gaping hole where the shot had blasted through. The door burst open, and Luke watched her with a look of great concern.

"What was that…" two voices on opposite sides of the galaxy spoke in unison.


End file.
